Fan films (as distinct from fanvids, which rework existing footage from the source text) serve as an interesting marker of the indie game Among Us's continuing popularity. While actual gameplay has become increasingly visible – as seen with the many streamers, micro-celebrities, and even American politicians recorded playing since 2020 – dramatizations of Among Us gameplay have also flourished. Animators, artists, YouTube content creators, and other fans have made numerous short films that visualize Among Us gameplay, popular Among Us streams, or personal "headcanons" of how the Among Us setting and gameplay work from characters' points of view.

These kinds of films intrigue me because, as M.J. Lewis so aptly puts it, Among Us is a "narrative-free" game. While Among Us certainly incorporates story elements, the story itself – several astronauts try to complete shipboard tasks and find a hidden killer – is both simple and backgrounded enough that it doesn't "demand that we immerse ourselves … or take on the role of protagonist in any meaningful way" (Lewis par. 8). In other words, Among Us players can focus on completing repetitive in-game tasks or forging connections among themselves (Bigley) without "deep contemplation" of societal issues or immersion into a larger story (Lewis par. 8).

However, fan films such as Russian YouTube creator Monty's "Not a Traitor" often create stories from and about the "narrative-free" Among Us. This particular film follows the game's yellow astronaut as they complete tasks, find and report a murdered crewmate, and are accused of this murder before being ejected from the ship airlock. Through a series of flashbacks, "Not a Traitor" also depicts the events that led up to this accusation: actually, the yellow astronaut witnesses the red astronaut committing these murders, but the red astronaut defends their own innocence and argues the yellow astronaut's guilt more compellingly, and so convinces the others to eject the yellow astronaut. "Not a Traitor" is set to Russian artists Klava Koka and NILETTO'S catchy 2020 "Crash" – a pop song about a relationship whose members insist that they're enemies rather than friends and promise to strangle one another if either breaks it off (Tomek): a droll backdrop for viewers familiar with the role of betrayal in Among Us gameplay (Bigley II) – and evidences high production value as well as skillful post-production editing.

Moreover, Monty creates this narrative by drawing both from specific aspects of Among Us gameplay as well as from recognizable player behaviors. Throughout "Not a Traitor," audiences see visual dramatizations of game mechanics such as completing tasks (wiring, garbage, medbay samples), reversing sabotaged ship functions, and meeting to discuss potential guilt. Likewise, "Not a Traitor" also offers visualizations of some common ways to play Among Us, including two crewmates shaking their heads over how long it takes a third to complete their tasks and assigning guilt as a result, and later, the impostor pinning blame on an innocent bystander. This fan film also incorporates several recognizable Among Us aesthetics and visuals, from the astronauts' colorful appearances to the superimposition of game instructions over their actions and on their tablet screens.

Taken together, these elements create a narrative that the original game itself does not foreground or even include. And other Among Us fan films may do even more in terms of narrative, from creating backstories for the various astronauts to fleshing out the impostor's betrayal in emotional terms or explaining how the impostor got on board.

 

Works Cited

Bigley II, James. "Among Us Taps Into Our Obsession With Betrayal." February 3, 2020. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/among-us-psychology-betrayal/

Koka, Klava. "Клава Кока & NILETTO - Краш (official video)." June 19, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGLZbBK5wTw

Lewis, M.J. "Among Us and a Resurgence of Narrative-Free Games." December 4, 2020. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/among-us-narrative-free-games-pandemic-coronavirus/

Monty. "Анимация и песня Among Us - Не Предатель (Пародия на Клава Кока & NILETTO - Краш)." December 2, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o3rfOWXvK4

Tomek. "Klava Koka & NILETTO - Краш - CRUSH - Simpatija - Lyrics ENGLISH & CROATIAN." August 6, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8_TLOxvoCs

 

Other Among Us Fan Films To Check Out

Among Us fan films also draw from and remake a wide range of visual genres, including:

Anime openings:

Pol. "AMONG US | ANIME OPENING." October 18, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYT6INNS7mU

Pol. "AMONG US | Anime Opening 2." November 19, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQZ8j3JXoqA

 

Concept movie trailers:

8zu. "Among Us (2021) – Fake Movie Trailer." September 28, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Z2-8ROJtM

Bluebell. "AMONG US | Movie Trailer/Opening Sequence." November 21, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZyU8bE50z4

GoldenLaneStudio. "The Thing AMONG US | Animation Movie Teaser." November 6, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWzBj5uS6sc

NERO WWE. "Among Us concept Netflix movie trailer|| HD trailer 2020." October 6, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=495LMKVTHfE

 

Crossovers with other media:

Lumiex. "The Room Where it Happens - Among Us Animation." October 2, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOPsAcy5FYk

pengukim. "Dear Impostor (Among Us Animation)." September 26, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Qmdi0cJy4

TheAMaazing. "Among Us x Hamilton Song - Emergency Meeting (Animated Music Video)." December 11, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MCrI3oldUo

 

Short movies:

Avocado Animations. "Among Us: The Full Story." January 1, 2021. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmCz5WBWQbY

Jay & Arya. "AMONG US | Short Film." November 2, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2jP1AVkItA

Neytirix. "IMPOSTER (An Among Us Story) – GORE WARNING." October 19, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyQwtde3XYE

Onthecat. "Among Us animation Complete Edition in Skeld." October 17, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_dqBqdOvx0

 

Television shows:

Laugh Over Life (LOL). "Among Us But It's A Sitcom." December 19, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPaOsfcRFwI

Laugh Over Life (LOL). "Among Us But It's a Reality Show 4." November 14, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGetUf9cgzQ

Myth Plaza. "AMONG US, but it's a TV show | Animation." January 10, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M5Bl5BD3tE

 

Visualizations of popular Among Us streams:

Cashew Crew. "Sykkuno kills Dream in front of Corpse (Among Us Animation)." January 13, 2021. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmt9ZDJsP0k

Lizpatastic. "Among Us but it's Youtubers." December 30, 2020. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfpeu2q7GjI